SCRATCHCARD MILKIONAIRE
PINTA MEANS PRIZES FOR ARTIST BILL Jackpot joy for pensioner who thought ‘1MIL’ win was a bottle of milk
WHEN Bill Bett saw “1MIL” on his Lotto scratchcard, he thought he’d won a pint of milk.
The staff at his local Co-op had to tell him he was a millionaire.
Bill, 69, spoke for the first time yesterday about his Monopoly Millionaire scratchcard jackpot and how it will change his life.
He said: “I always used to say no one wins £1million on a scratchcard. When I saw the amount it didn’t really click at first.
“It said 1MIL on the card and I thought, ‘What does this mean – I’ve won a pint of milk?’
“I went back into the shop and asked them to check it. They confirmed I’d won and said I’d have to call the Lottery line.
“I couldn’t believe it, but I actually remained quite calm. When I got home I phoned my three sisters, who all thought I was winding them up.
“But they said it couldn’t have happened to a better brother and are so happy for me.”
Bill bought his ticket at the Co-op in Markinch, Fife, earlier this month – but he told how he waited a week for his win to be confirmed.
He said: “I was double checking it right up until it was validated.”
It’s truly a life-changing win for Bill. He has already bought a new bungalow because health problems mean he struggles with the stairs in his current home. And the extra space in his new house will mean he can return to his beloved hobby of painting. He said: “I’ll have a conservatory and a garage for storage so I can take it up again. I used to teach art to kids with learning difficulties but I haven’t painted for years.” Bill is also planning to look after his sisters and take them on holiday. He said: “We’ve talked about a ferry trip to Brussels or France and maybe getting a caravan on the east coast.”
I spent a week double checking my ticket BILL